Input unit for an operating element that can be actuated by pressure or rotation

Abstract

An input unit for an operating element that can be actuated by pressure or rotation includes a housing having a recess portion, a carrier having a detent projection, and an input member (e.g., an actuator). The carrier is displacable relative to the housing. The input member is rotatably mounted on the carrier to be rotatable. The input member has a body with a cavity therein and a detent curve body movably arranged in the cavity such that the detent curve body is displaceable relative to the body of the input member. A first end of the detent curve body has a detent curve engaging the detent projection of the carrier. A second end of the detent curve body is adjacent to the housing part and has projections. The input member further has a spring that acts on the detent curve body to press the detent curve against the detent projection.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An input unit for an operating element that can be actuated by pressure or rotation, the input unit comprising:
 a housing wall having a recess portion; 
 a carrier having a detent projection, the carrier being displacable relative to the housing wall along a displacement axis; 
 an input member mounted on a shaft rotatably mounted on the carrier to be rotatable about a rotation axis normal to the displacement axis; 
 the input member having a body with a cavity therein and a detent curve body movably arranged in the cavity such that the detent curve body is displaceable along an axial direction parallel with the rotation axis relative to the body of the input member, a first end of the detent curve body having a detent curve engaging the detent projection of the carrier, and a second end of the detent curve body being adjacent to the housing part and having projections; 
 the input member further having a spring that acts on the detent curve body to press the detent curve against the detent projection; and 
 wherein the detent curve includes alternate detent elements and a height of the detent elements of the detent curve along the axial direction is greater than a distance between the projections and the recess portion of the housing wall along the axial direction while the input member is in an unactuated state. 
 
     
     
       2. The input unit of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of the projections inserts into the recess portion of the housing wall when the detent curve body is displaced in the axial direction towards the recess portion of the housing wall during rotational motion of the input member. 
 
     
     
       3. The input unit of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of the projections engages the housing wall when the input member is displaced along the displacement axis during pressure actuation of the input member. 
 
     
     
       4. The input unit of  claim 1  wherein:
 the input unit is built into a steering wheel or a dashboard of a motor vehicle. 
 
     
     
       5. An input unit comprising:
 a housing wall having a recess portion; 
 a carrier having a detent projection, the carrier being displacable relative to the housing wall; 
 an input member mounted on a rotatable shaft on the carrier, the input member rotating when the input member is rotationally actuated, the input member displacing with the carrier relative to the housing wall when the input member is pressure actuated; 
 the input member having a body with a cavity therein and a detent curve body movably arranged in the cavity such that the detent curve body is displaceable relative to the body of the input member, a first end of the detent curve body having a detent curve engaging the detent projection of the carrier, and a second end of the detent curve body being adjacent to the housing wall and having projections; 
 the input member further having a spring that acts on the detent curve body to press the detent curve against the detent projection; 
 wherein at least one of the projections engages the housing wall when the input member, during pressure actuation of the input member, is displaced with the carrier relative to the housing wall which thereby prevents displacement of the detent curve body relative to the body of the input member thereby blocking concurrent rotational actuation of the input member; 
 wherein at least one of the projections inserts into the recess portion of the housing wall when the detent curve body, during rotational actuation of the input member, is displaced towards the recess portion of the housing wall to thereby block concurrent pressure actuation of the input member. 
 
     
     
       6. An input unit comprising:
 a housing wall having a recess portion; 
 a carrier having a detent projection, the carrier being displacable relative to the housing wall along a displacement axis; 
 an input member mounted on a rotatable shaft on the carrier such that the input member, the input member rotating about a rotation axis normal to the displacement axis when the input member is rotationally actuated, the input member displacing with the carrier relative to the housing wall along the displacement axis when the input member is pressure actuated; 
 the input member having a body with a cavity therein and a detent curve body movably arranged in the cavity such that the detent curve body is displaceable along the rotation axis relative to the body of the input member, a first end of the detent curve body having a detent curve engaging the detent projection of the carrier, and a second end of the detent curve body being adjacent to the housing wall and having projections; 
 the input member further having a spring that acts on the detent curve body to press the detent curve against the detent projection; 
 wherein at least one of the projections engages the housing wall when the input member, during pressure actuation of the input member, is displaced along the displacement axis which thereby prevents displacement of the detent curve body along the rotation axis relative to the body of the input member thereby blocking concurrent rotational actuation of the input member; 
 wherein at least one of the projections inserts into the recess portion of the housing wall when the detent curve body, during rotational actuation of the input member, is displaced along the rotation axis relative to the body of the input member towards the recess portion of the housing wall to thereby block concurrent pressure actuation of the input member. 
 
     
     
       7. The input unit of  claim 5  wherein:
 the detent curve includes alternate detent elements; and 
 a height of the detent elements of the detent curve along the axial direction is greater than a distance between the projections and the recess portion of the housing wall along the axial direction while the input member is in an unactuated state. 
 
     
     
       8. The input unit of  claim 5  wherein:
 the input unit is built into a steering wheel or a dashboard of a motor vehicle. 
 
     
     
       9. The input unit of  claim 6  wherein:
 the detent curve includes alternate detent elements; and 
 a height of the detent elements of the detent curve along the axial direction is greater than a distance between the projections and the recess portion of the housing wall along the axial direction while the input member is in an unactuated state. 
 
     
     
       10. The input unit of  claim 6  wherein:
 the input unit is built into a steering wheel or a dashboard of a motor vehicle.